Drivers of Geographic Patterns in Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing in the United States

Clin Infect Dis. 2024 Aug 16;79(2):325-328. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciae111.

Abstract

In a retrospective, ecological analysis of US medical claims, visit rates explained more of the geographic variation in outpatient antibiotic prescribing rates than per-visit prescribing. Efforts to reduce antibiotic use may benefit from addressing the factors that drive higher rates of outpatient visits, in addition to continued focus on stewardship.

Keywords: antibiotic prescribing; antibiotic use; antimicrobial resistance; medical claims; stewardship.

MeSH terms

  • Ambulatory Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship / statistics & numerical data
  • Drug Prescriptions / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Outpatients* / statistics & numerical data
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'* / statistics & numerical data
  • Retrospective Studies
  • United States

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents